Spanish mounting structure and tracking system manufacturer Esasolar has developed a new configuration in four strings for its Esatrack M5-2V tracker at its research center in La Roda de Andalucía (Seville).
The Spanish Patent and Trademark Office has granted the title of Utility Model to this solution, according to the company, which stated its main advantage is a considerable increase in energy yield by influencing two fundamental factors in solar power generation, such as irradiation and temperature.
“The four-string configuration of the Esatrack M5-2V system allows all the modules of the same string to have the same solar exposure, all of them generating energy in a homogeneous way and eliminating losses due to low irradiation in the least exposed modules within the same connection line, as occurs in three-string trackers, the most common on the market,” the manufacturer explained. “By being located at the same height, all the modules of the same string are exposed to identical irradiation and cooling conditions, all of them maintaining the same temperature and eliminating the losses due to temperature increase in modules more exposed to surface heating, as occurs with conventional three-string trackers.”
In addition, Esasolar affirms that the new model has been developed to reduce costs, both in material and installation as well as during maintenance. “With this new configuration fewer units are required to be assembled in the plant; that reduces the number of posts, motors, supports, and monitoring and control systems that need to be installed,” it highlighted. “This new configuration also requires fewer foundations per unit of installed power than a conventional three-string tracker.”
The system has two strings in the upper part and two in the lower part, which minimizes the length of cable required by allowing the connection of modules in series between modules and between consecutive trackers and without the need to add extra wiring due to misalignment of modules of the same connection line. “This new configuration of the Esasolar tracker requires fewer control and actuation systems, which leads to lower maintenance costs,” Esasolar added.
Esatrack M5 is also equipped with a system to protect the tracker against the adverse effects of the wind, which avoids galloping and fluttering, the company claims.
